Blind Lemon jefferson crooned "The Blues came from Texas, looping like a mule” as the uniquely African-American music genre eventually made its way to Italy, where a budding musician named Adelmo Fornaciari (nicknamed “Zucchero,” which is Italian for “sugar”) fell in love with the sounds of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Otis Redding.

Born in the small northern Italian town of Roncocesi in 1955, Zucchero is currently one of Italy’s biggest stars. He skillfully blends American blues, gospel and soul with his own distinctly Mediterranean flavoring. Over the course of three decades, Zucchero has sold more than 60 million records, sung duets with Andrea Bocelli, Elton John and Eric Clapton, and collaborated with songwriting luminaries, like Bono and Mark Knopfler.